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There are a lot of blogs out there. Over 600 million blogs exist in the world and there are more than 2 billion blog posts a year. Some are really good, some are really bad, and most are just average, hence the definition of average. Over the years, I have found several solid, reliable blogs relevant to college admissions. Some are from individual institutions and others are from independent counselors, test prep companies, or other collegebound organizations. Below are my favorite college blogs.
University Blogs
Georgia Tech Admissions: Georgia Tech is definitely a school of interest for my students, and they do share a lot about their admissions process. However, the majority of the posts are relevant for ANY student applying to college, which is why I think it tops the list. Rick Clark is a talented writer, and his posts are always timely. They are all amazing, but a few to check out are Your Voice Matters, Run Your Race, and Lice (and Admissions Decisions). They also record a podcast for many of the posts, and you can listen to them in 10 minutes.
Tulane University: Jeff Schiffman brings wisdom and humor to what is often a stressful time. Many of the posts are Tulane or New Orleans specific, like NOLA Lingo and Tips for Making the Most out of Tulane. I like his advice on emails that are better left unsent, and how to avoid the Freshman 15. He also had one of the best posts about COVID-19 and College Admissions that I’ve read.
Emory University: Similar to the above blogs, Emory covers relevant topics for prospective Emory and college-bound students as a whole. They’ve covered topics like study abroad, financial aid, and COVID-19.
University of Georgia: Unlike the other three blogs, UGA’s blog is pretty specific to the institution. However, almost all of my students apply to UGA each year, and David Graves creates a transparent overview of an often complicated process. He shares detailed data and statistics on Early Action, Waitlist, Transfer, among others, and updates on Changes, and Urban Legends. A must-read for any student considering The University of Georgia.
Test Prep Experts
Applerouth Expert’s Corner– While many of the posts are focused on the SAT, ACT, and AP exams, they also address topics like summer slide, gap years, and how to help as a parent.
Compass Prep: Another research-driven test-prep blog, that covers every kind of testing. Each year, Compass releases a handy chart with the average SAT/ACT score ranges of popular colleges and acceptance rates, and this year, they’ve included information on the test-optional policies. They’ve also posted cutoff scores for National Merit, information on testing accommodations, and test prep strategies.
Other Experts
The College Essay Guy: I use many of Ethan Sawyer’s exercises with my students, and I love his podcasts. He is a prolific writer, and shares resources freely. He has guides on writing the Personal Statement, supplemental essays, like Washington, Dartmouth, and Reed, and Essay Examples that Work. His blog is a great starting point for anyone working on college essays.
JLV College Counseling: This has been one of the most comprehensive scholarship blogs I’ve ever found. Every Saturday, Jennifer shares scholarships she’s found, sometimes as many as 90. Additionally, she will write about scholarships that are due within a specific month, for example, August 2020. You will still have to go through each post to see if any are relevant for you or your student, but it still helps narrow the pool.
Growing Leaders: While not necessarily college-specific, Tim Elmore is a leading expert on Generation Z. His leadership development program, Habitudes, is used in high schools, colleges, and professional organizations around the country, and his timely parenting advice is a must-read. He is a prolific writer, and new articles are released almost daily. There are so many good ones, but a few of my recent favorites are How to Turn a Setback into a Comeback, Increasing Engagement for Students Who Don’t Fit the Mold, and How to Prevent Becoming a Snowplow Parent.
Do you have questions about the college admissions process? Contact Allison or visit Grand Fit Educational Consulting.
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